Dispenser cap for salt and pepper shakers



Feb. 5, 1957 c, FREY 2,780,398,

DISPENSER CAP FOR SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS Filed Oct. 16, 1955 Andrew GFrey,

ATTORNEY- United States Patent DISPENSER CAP FOR SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS Andrew C. Frey, Jackson, Mich.

Application October 16, 1953, Serial No. 386,497

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-545) The present invention relates to a dispenser cap for salt and pepper shakers and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a novel dispenser cap for salt and pepper shakers having novel means therein whereby the sizes of a series of dispensing openings may be quickly and easily varied and further means whereby all of such openings may be securely closed in a water tight manner in a single operation.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efiicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for regulating the size of dispensing openings in a cap forming a part of the invention.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel plug forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a plug forming a part of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of a cap forming a part of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a salt or pepper container having a reduced neck portion 11 which is exteriorly threaded, as indicated at 12. A generally dome-shaped cap 13 is interiorly threaded, as indicated at 14, for removable mount- 2,780,398 Patented Feb. 5, 1957 ice ing upon the neck 11 and is centrally provided in the top thereof with an interiorly threaded opening 14a.

An exteriorly threaded cylindrical plug 15 is threadably mounted in the opening 14a and is provided with a series of circumferentially spaced downwardly and inwardly extending grooves 16 which terminate at their upper ends one convolution below the exteriorly thread ed portion of the plug 15. The plug 15 is provided with an integrally formed manipulating handle 17 on its upper side.

In operation, it will -be apparent that the device may be attached as a whole to the neck 11 of the container 10 by screwing the dome shaped cap 13 thereon after which the sizes of the openings 16 may be made larger by manipulating the handle 17 to unscrew the plug 15 from its opening 14a to any desired distance. To decrease the sizes of the openings provided by the grooves 16 it is only necessary to turn the plug 15 inwardly with respect to the cap thereby decreasing the size thereof and, in the event that it is desired to entirely close the openings provided by the grooves 16, it is only necessary to continue such inward screwing movement by means of the handle '17 until the last or uppermost convolution of the exterior threads on the plug 15, which convolution is indicated at 18, is fully engaged in the opening 14a. Thus it will oe apparent that when the device is not in use, the openings provided by the grooves 16 may be entirely closed to prevent moisture contained in the atmosphere from caking the salt or pepper contained therein.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A device of the character described comprising a cap having a centrally disposed interiorly threaded opening therein, and an exteriorly threaded cylindrical plug threadably mounted in said opening and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced inwardly and downwardly directed grooves formed therein, said grooves each extending downwardly from the convolution next to the uppermost convolution of the threads in said plug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 184,315 Armstrong Nov. 14, 1876 318,479 Kells May 26, 1885 1,431,860 Zurbrigg Oct. 10, 1922 1,470,547 Schilling Oct. 9, 1923 1,576,151 Slick Mar. 9, 1926 2,167,476 Diefenbach July 25, 1939 

